Train wheel defect detector

ABSTRACT

A railroad wheel defect-detecting device is described. An accelerometer senses the vibrations induced in a test rail by a railroad wheel traveling thereon. The test rail is vibrationally isolated from adjacent train tracks and ground vibrations to permit sensing of train wheel defects such as flat spots on wheels, loose couplings, dragging equipment and the like. Defects are recognized when the sensed vibrations exceed preselected maximum tolerable levels, said levels being fixed or automatically regulated to compensate for varying train conditions. Identification of each wheel having a defect is provided as well as optional car identification.

United States Patent 1 1 3,558,876

[72] Inventors Leonard Tillman [56] Refer n Cit d fi a P k N Y UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,076,928 4/1937 Witmer 246/251 [2| l Appl. No. 777,957

3,1 10,463 X H1963 Legg 246/246 [22 PM 3 116 044 12/1963 Stanle 246/246 [45] Patented Jam 26,1971 y [73] Assignee Servo Corporation of America Primary Examiner-Drayton E. Hoffman l-licksville, N.Y. Assistant Examiner-George H. Libman a corporation of New York AttorneyKane, Dalsimer, Kane, Sullivan & Kurucz ABSTRACT: A railroad wheel defect-detecting device is described. An accelerometer senses the vibrations induced in a test rail by a railroad wheel traveling thereon. The test rail is vibrationally isolated from adjacent train tracks and ground [54] DETECTOR vibrations to permit sensing of train wheel defects such as flat g g spots on wheels, loose couplings, dragging equipment and the [52] U.S.Cl 246/169, like. Defects are recognized when the sensed vibrations ex- 246/246 ceed preselected maximum tolerable levels, said levels being [5]] lnt.Cl B6ll1/06 fixed or automatically regulated to compensate for varying [50] Field of Search 246/169, train conditions. Identification of each wheel having a defect is provided as well as optional car identification.

All!

PATENIED JANZS I97! SHEEY 3 OF 3 g4 RESET SAMPLE ,0 $2; 'xzewz 82 -55 WHEEL WHEEL RESET "coowrm comv RESET CAR 54a COUNTER cowvr Fl G.

v INVI'JN'I'UHS momma m1. MAM ARTHUR J. GLAZAR first embodiment of this invention;

B rnamwnssa parser oer-screaevidenced by unusual temperaturesathasbeen extremely dill ICIIII to; detect railroad? whcel defects evidenced? by unusual? ibrations. such as produced periodically from flat spots or those of larger than usual. magnitudes. produced by, loosc' road" wheel; carriage defectsevidenced' by unusual vibrations entire circumference ol the railroad wheel in contact with a test rail; In. such CtISUIIIC total test rail length must he inches and. 122 inches circumferential lengths. Since a couplings. d'raggingequipmcntandthelike. Early detectionof.=

unusualj vibrations can provide valuable, preventive main. tenance information: and; helpto prevent accclerated d'est'ruction. of a. wheel; carriage, the car to1which; itis attached and:

destructionzofithe wheel'jcarriage'assembly.

Flat spots inwhcel's oftenarise from slidingwhcels locked byexcessive braking. Once such=a flat spot hasdeveloped on a .jwheel't itscontinued use is likely toaccelerate the defect. The flat spot on; the whecl induces.periodicvibrations of excessive magnitudes and imposes an unbalanced. wear onthe whecl bearing.

The early detection ot such vibrationally evidenced defcct s isthere fore of utility both in. the sense of safety and main.-

" tenance. However. these defects are extremely difficult toidetect by visual inspections withina:railroad maintenance yard where the whcel is standingrstilll.

Furthermore. defects evidcncedby vibrations may be speed? sensitive, i-.e. at' certain speeds resonance conditions might prevail and produce vibrations. ofi'unusual magnitudes. The

wheel; speeds at which these. resonances Occur may ins tum. vary dependingupon, for instance; the load. supported; by the car wheel;

. It is therefore an obje'ct'ofi thisin'vention.toprovide a wheel, carriage defect detector for a moving trairr.

even-an entiretrain where dcraili'nentmight ensue fromtotalt requirement is imposed'on thc wheel defect detector that but one wheel; at any onetime is in-con'tact with a test rail. the closest spacing between wheel axlcs, ii the wheelbase. must be taken into account in scl'cctingthc. Somc railroad cars have wheelbases which are less than a circuml'crential. length of a wheel. In the latiercasc. the use of a test rail ofa length equal to or greater than a whcclcircuniferencc wouldrcsultintwo wheelsbcing onthc test rail at one time. Since a test rail mustbe atlcastas long as the circumfercntial lengthvof a wheel to accurately detect i'lat spots. the selection ofi'a test rail-presents a dilemma.

A first solution tothe dilemma is-suggestedi by the assumption thaton.some tracks the train'cars do not have wheelbases v vhich arc less than. the circumferential length.olawhcel. Accordingly the test rail may be slightly longer than a wheel circumference without having two wheels on the rail at the same time. This solution; however. is but valid for limited applications, andi a more general. solution I is preferred for trains formed of cars wit-h a varicty oi? wheel sizes and whcclbases.

j Insituations where a. greater variety of rail'cars arc encountered the dilemma may be resolved by utilizing a multiple number of short test rails which are selectively spaced from one another to assure that the entire circumference of a wheelof any size within a preselected range may be accommodated 1 with; any wheelbase spacings also occurring within' a selected It is-a furtherobject of this invention to'provid'e-a device for I the detection of flatspots on a wheelof a moving train.

It is another object ofthis invention. to provide device for the detection. of wheel carriage defects ini a train. under actual use conditions.

. ltfis. still further an: object of thisinvention to providea wheelcarriage defect. detector capable of? monitoring all wheel car ges andgwheelaxl'es of a'movin'g train and produce a useful interfacewith a data processor for recording and'identifying thc loc'ationof the defective wheel conditions on the train.

The cpbjects are accomplished: by. our invention, several embodimentsof which. are hereinafter described ineonjunction with-the FIGS. wherein;

7 FIG. l; is a schematic view of araile wheel vibration detection device operating on one side ofja track in; accordance with a FIG. 2; is a schematic view of'a rail wheel detection system wherein two test rail detectors. are used, oneof which provides a verification of thcresultsfrom the other, and.

I FIG. 3' is a schematic view similar tothat of FIG. I of, a

second-embodiment of this invention and shows an automatic threshold regulation device for the detection of unusual vibra tions inatcst rail;

range. Thus. whcre wheel diameter s vary from 27 inches to 39 inches, thewheelbase spacingsmay vary from 60 inches to- 108' inches, it being realized that with larger wheels. the wheel spacings are also, increased. Within. the laststatcd' ranges. three short test rail sections may be used. selectively spaced from one another by separator rails of such length that any wheel with a diameter within the range from 27 inches to 39 inches will always have its entire circumferential surface exposedtothe test rails, thus assuring the detection of flat spots. FIG. I illustrates a wheel'defect detector device wherein threc test rails are used. It shouldv be realized: thatmorc test rails could be employed to accommodate a still: great variety of wheel sizes and bases, but for economy the threc-scction test Briefly stated our' invention contemplates the detection of A vibrationsof unusual: magnitude ina wheelofa railroadcarby 1 providing a test rail in alignment with track-supporting rail, 1 where thetest'r'ail' is vibrationally isolated from the sources of 3 vibrations such as other railroad wheels. The length of the test rail: isselectd so, that but one railroad car; wheel may pass over the test rail at any one timeTest rail vibrations such as imparted by a rail car wheel traveling thereover arcsenscd and, afsigr al representative of the sensed :vibrations'is compaied 'withina.thresl1old1network'to produce-a wheel defect signal'whenthe vibrationsexceed a preselectedlevelf Where a wheel has a flat spotthe vibration or shock induced bygthcj lflat'spot is synchronized. with the rotation of the wheel. With flat-1 spot detection-it is. therefore. necessary to bring the 'rail, system of FIG. I suffices and in fact covers the great majority of wheelsizes and-wheel bases incommonusc today.

Inthe embodimentgof FIG. la train car'l0 is partially shown traveling on conventional supporting rails. one of which I2 is visible in the view of FIG. l-. Two car wheels 14-14 are shown coupled to a common wheel carriage I6 with a wheel base S between the axles of the wheels. The train is travclingin the direction of the arrow 18. The wheel base Sis not in scale with the other rail sections shown in FIG. I. In spaced alignment with the supporting rail 12 are three test rails-20-20'-20". These test rails are separated from one another by separator rails 22 and 22' shown in broken fashion. The separator rails may be regular supporting rail sections. The test rails 20-20 +20" are vibrationally isolated from one anotherand the other techniques utilizing concrete isolation platforms supported by deep concrete foundations. Such isolation is necessary to prevent ground and rail coupled disturbances from affecting the sensing equipment. v

The rails are each separated from'one another by normal railjoint spacings 24; each approximately one-half inch long. Adjacent these joints. and sequentially arrangcdin accordance with the direction-of travel of the rail-cars are six,whcel detectors 2 6, 28, 30, 32. 34." and 36.'Su ch detectors may, be as 'described in the patent to Gallagher et al 3 .l5l,827.;Thcsc -wheeldetectors provide an electrical signal indicative of a wheelvabout to cross onto a test rail; with wheel detectors 26.

30, or about to leave a test rail with whccl detectors 28. 32

ngtli of a rest raily 36. Test rail vibration sensors 38. 40, 42 are provided in vibrational contact with test rails 20, 20'. 20" respectively. The vibration sensors may be accelerometers which produce electrical signals representative of the sensed vibrations. The wheel detectors are so mounted within or near the rail spacings that blanking pulses may be initiated from their outputs to effectively block the outputs from test rail vibrations sensors 38-40-42 as car wheels move across the joints 24 between rail sections.

For the embodiment shown in FIG. I, the lengths of the several rail sections 20-22-20'-22'20" are respectively 59 inches, 88 inches, 59 inches, 108 inches and 59 inches. These lengths assure that any wheel with a diameter within the range from 27 inches to 39 inches will have its entire circumference exposed to a test rail. Furthermore. the 59 inch long test rails assure that cars with 60 inch wheelbases will not produce two wheels on a test rail at the same time. An advantage presented by the spaced test rails lies in the ability of the detection of vibrations of relatively low periodicity, i.e. the stretched out detection system is more likely to detect such vibrations than a short test rail detection system.

Associated with each test rail 20, 20', 20 are wheel carriage defect detector circuits 44, 46 and 48. They are alike and a description of one, 44, will suffice. A filter 50 has its input coupled to the output of accelerometer 38 so that some minimum smoothing of the sensed 'vibration signals is produced. The filter 50 is optional and may even be selectively employed as hereinafter described for automatic threshold control in connection with FIG. 3.

A threshold circuit 52 is provided and coupled to the output of filter 50. Such a circuit may be made for instance by a logic operational amplifier, having one input biased by a fixed voltage. The fixed voltage represents the maximum normal vibration level for railroad wheels. Such maximum signal level may be, for instance, ascertained by running a plurality of normal train wheels at varying speeds over a test rail section and monitoring the time history of the accelerometer output for each wheel. The maximum vibration level for normal wheels may thus be ascertained and used to set a useful threshold level. Such time history is also useful in determining the degree of filtering necessary and permissible to be able to detect peak vibrations induced in the test rail by defects in the wheel carriage.

Since the crossing of the wheel joints 24 is accompanied by strong shocks, blanking pulses to block and prevent outputs from the threshold network 52 from indicating a defect during these wheel crossings are provided. The blocking function is obtained by deriving a pulse of predetermined length from the wheel detectors 26-28. Thus, wheel detector 26, for instance, being mounted adjacent the rail joint 24, but on rail 12, produces also with the use of a conventional pulse generator (not shown) a pulse of predetermined length. The pulse length is such that the threshold 52 output is blocked for the time necessary for a wheel to cross joint 24 plus the time necessary for the shock induced by the wheel to decay to below threshold-triggering levels. Since the speed of sound in rails is very high compared to the highest possible train speed, the time needed for the crossing shock" to reach the accelerometer may be ignored in relation to the decay time.

Threshold blocking is accomplished by passing the output of both wheel detectors 26 and 28 through OR gate 54 which in turn acts through inverter 56 on AND gate 58. Hence, only for the duration of a pulse from either wheel detector 26 or 28 will the AND gate 58 be blocked.

The output for AND gate 58 is connected to the SET input of an alann fiip-fiop 62. The output of this alarm flip-flop 62. serves to enable a set of wheel count gates'64 which permits the output of a wheel counter 66 to be transmitted to a data processor 68. The wheel counter 66 receives wheel count impulses from wheel detector 26. Thus, the wheel counter 66 is advanced by one count each time a wheel traverses detector 26. The output of the alarm flip-flop 62 is also applied along line 62 to command the data processor to read the gated wheel count. The alarm flip-flop outputs 62, 62", 62' of the processor. This can readily be accomplished by interposing a divide-by-four scaling counter between the wheel sensor 26 and the counter 66. Counter 66 then becomes a fear counter .rather than a wheel counter, and the gates 64 then become ear counter gates" rather than wheel counter gates. This option, however, is useful only where trains are limited to 4-axle cars, such as in rapid transit systems.

The data processor 68 provides a reset pulse on line'6 8' to the alarm flip-flop of each circuit 44, 46 and 48 after reading and storing the wheel count (or car count) at which a fault was detected.

The data processor can take many forms depending upon how the information is to be used. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, the data processor 68 actuates a printer 70 which displays the defect data. In such an embodiment, the data processor might also include a date and time generator such that date/time information can be printed along with the location of the faults. A remote utilization device is provided any may be used for another form of data presentation such as the activation of a wayside alarm signal to alert the train crew that a fault has been detected. I

An end-of-train pulse os obtained from a network 72 and applied as a reset on line 72 to the wheel counters (or carcounters). The network 72 generates an output pulse whenever the time interval between pulses from the final wheel sensor 36 exceeds some predetermined maximum. This maximum time may be computed from a knowledge of the minimum an- 1 wheel sensor 36 will produce output pulses at least every 9 1) seconds. The network 72, therefore, can be designed to generate an end-of-train signal when the time interval between successive pulses from wheel detector 36 exceeds g seconds, plus a fixed safety factor. Such end-offitrain pulses might also be used to advance a train counter in the data processor, the train count providing an additional piece of identification data which can be printed out.

In FIG. 2, a wheel defect detector is shown wherein the test rails 20, 20' are made as long as the circumference of a wheel and it is assumed that wheel bases of shorter length than the test rails will not occur. The test rails 20, 20' are closely spaced to one another and separated by a rail joint 24.

Two wheel defect circuits 44a and 46a, similar to 44 and 46 in FIG. 1, areemployed. Wheel trips 26, 28 and 30 and vibration sensors 38, 40 provide signals as in the configuration of FIG. 1. In this case, however, circuit 46a coacts with circuit 44a to confirm the existence of a defect detected in circuit A study of FIG. 2 shows the similarity of circuits 44a and 46a with circuits 44 and 46 in FIG. 1. The principal difference is that two alarm flip-flop 62a and 62b are employed. The purpose of using two alarm flip-flop is to enable the storage of alarms for each of two successive wheels which enter the test sections 20-20. The threshold alarm signals are steered to the appropriate flip-flop by means of the steering gates 58a and 58b and a counting flip-flop 73 which supplies the steering signal by alternating its output as each wheel crosses the wheel sensor. For example, consider the action of circuit 44a as a car 10 approaches test section 20 with a flat spot on the first wheel. Counting flipflop 73 is initially in the zero state by virtue of a reset applied to its R terminal from a prior end-oftrain signal from circuit 72. As the first wheel traverses sensor 26, a blanking pulse is generated as described in the discussion of FIG. 1. In addition, flipflop 73 is toggled to the one state. In the one stage, steering gate 58a is enabled and 58b is disabled so that a threshold signal arising from the contact of the flat '5 spot with test rail is routed through,5 8a into the set terminal ofllip-fiop 62a As this same wheel progresses to the second test section 20,

a similar sequence of events'occursincircuit 46a, resulting in the setting of flip-flop 62a in circuit46a. Note, however, that the setting ofthis latterflip-flop iscontingent upon the prior setting of flip-flop 62a in circuit 44a by virtue of input number 40f the steering gate 58a in circuit 46a'..Thus. a read command'to' the data processor is generated onlyif both circuits 44a and 46a detect a threshold signal from the same wheel. A similar line of reasoning applies tothe second wheel. A flat spot on the second wheel will firstset flip-flop 62b in circuit 440 and then set flip-flop 62b in circuit 46a resulting in a read command to the data processor. Both read commands from flip-flops 62a and 62b in circuit46aare connected to the data I processor 68 after passage through an OR circuit ,67.

Circuits 44a and 46!) therefore act to verify one another, and the possibility of false'alarrn signals which might arise as a result of random vibration peaks is minimized. The circuit configuration thus discriminates against excessivevibration signals which are 'not associated with wheel rotation periodici- The problem of resetting the alarm flip-flops 62a and 62b in the configuration of FIG. 2 is complicated by the fact thatthey contain time sequential information. They cannot therefore be reset by the data processor as before. Rather, this is accompulse generators 76- 77. Pulse generator 76 produces reset pulses on odd-numbered wheels to reset flip-flops 62a, while pulse generator 77 produces reset pulses on even-numbered wheels tdreset flip-flops 62b. This is necessary because of the possibility that one, but not both of the fiip-flops'(62a in circui'ts 44p and 46a, for example) may beset ny a random occurrence of-a high level vibration. In such a case, no read cominarid is generated and the datagproccssor cannot determine that a resetis required.

..'The variable car'loadings, construction and the likemay conceivably render a fixed minimum threshold value used in the circuit 52 not practical'under' all circumstancesdespitc [the smoothing of the accelerometer outputs by filter 50. In

such case. an automatic threshold varying device may be em- 7 ployed as described in relation to FIG. 3,wherein similar'num- .bers designate similar items used in FIG. l. ln FIG 3, two test rail'sections 20 20' are positioned end to "endandvibrationally isolated from one another as well as ground coupled disturbances. Test rail20 serves to generate,

inconjunction with associated circuitry, a reference signal indicative of the average or RMS. (root mean square) vibration level of a wheel traveling over rest rails. This reference signal neither may be longer than the wheel base and test rail 20 must be as long as or slightly longer than the circumferential length of a wheel.

' Again, wheel trips 26, 28 and are placed adjacent rail joints 24 and vibration vibrations in test rails 20-20 respectively. The outputs of sensors 38''40 are used to sense the "wheel detectors 2628-30 are each passed through inver- "1ters'56'--56"56"'. These inverters serve the same function as in verter 54 of FIG. I. The outputs from inverters 56' and 56" as well as the output from vibration sensor 38 are applied to an analogue logic gate 78. The polarities from inverters 56' and 56" are such that only when a wheel is detected will the -i'nverters effectively blank or inhibittheinput of gate 78.

- The analogue output from gate. 78is fed to a filter 80. This filter is designed to either produce the RMS value of the vibrationlevels or the average value ln this embodiment an "average signal is obtained from,filter8t) by providing it with a suifficiently long time constant. The time constant is preferably set'commensurate with' normal travel times of a wheel over test rail 20 but can be varied to-accomrnodate different train I wheel speeds. 1

The output of the filter 80 is coupled through an analogue gate 82 to. a sample and hold circuit 84 which .stores the average signal level established at the output of the filter 80 upon enabling of the gate 82 by wheeltrip signal 28 applied thereto. When a wheel reaches theend of test rail 20 as detected by whccl trip 28, the signal l'rom'the latter actuatcs the sample and hold circuit 84. While the wheel proceeds on test rail 20' the average vibration level signal stored-in sample and hold circuit 84 is applied to and biases a fixed threshold network 86.

The fixed threshold network produces a voltage having a magnitude which usually cxcccdsthe sample and hold signal and is preselected as indicativeof a defect in a wheel. This may be accomplished by applying the sample and hold signal to an operational summing amplifier having a high input impedance and to which is addedan input voltage of a magnitude necessary to make up the preselected defect signal level. Usually thisinput voltage is fixed. The preselected dcfcct reference signal from the fixedthreshold network is then applied to one of two inputs of an'analogue operational amplifier 88 which acts as a differential amplifier.

Blanking signals from inverters 56" and 56" are applied with the output of vibration sensor 40 to an analogue gate 90 which in turn has its output coupled to the other input of dil ferential operational amplifier 88.

Theoutput of operational amplifier 88 thus represents a voltage which, either by .its polarity of ,by its magnitude. indicates the detection of a defect in the'whcel passing over the rail 20. Since a defect indicating output from amplifier 88 oc curs but momentarily, a more permanent defect indication is obtained by applyingthe output of amplifier 88 to a flip flop 62 like flip-flop 62 of FIG. 1.

Other functions of networks in FIG 3 are like those in FIG. 1, suchas the end oftrain indicator, the wheel counter and the 'car counter. Also the data processor shown in H6. l is used with the defect detection system of HG. in a similar manner.

Having thus described our invention for an automatic wheel defect detector, certain unique advances may be appreciated. The defects may be detected for a moving train at variable speeds, thus allowing thc'detection of unusual resonances as well as full automatic handling of all data generated by the wheel defection system.

V Whilethe present invention has been described in conjunction with preferred embodiments, it'may be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

We claim: i v l. A wheel carriage defect detector for a railroad car moving on support rails comprising in combination:

a first test rail mounted in spaced alignment with a supporting rail and vibrationally isolated therefrom;- means forsensing the vibrations induced by a railroad wheel traveling on said first tcst rail'and producing a first vibration signal indicative thereof; I a second test rail mounted in spaced alignment with the first test rail on the side opposite to the direction of movement of the wheel and vibrationally isolated from the first test rail and the supporting rail; means for sensing the vibrations induced by said traveling railroad wheel in said second test rail and producing a signal indicative of the average thereof; and means responsive to said selected vibration signal and the first vibration signal for producing a defect signal when i said first vibration signal exceeds said selected vibration signal by a preselected amount. 2. A device as received in claim 1, wherein said average signal-producing means comprises: I

an accelerometer mounted on said second test rail; a filter driven by the accelerometer output; and a sampling andhold circuit detecting and storing the filtered accelerometer signal at a predetermined time. 3. A device as re ited in claim 2, and further comprising: means mt'iuntefadjaeent the spacing between the first test rail and the second test rail for detecting when said railroad wheel is about to travel over said second test rail and producing a wheel signal indicative thereof;

said wheel signal actuating the sampling and hold circuit;

and

a fixed threshold circuit biased by the sampled and stored signal to produce a preselected defect reference signal and wherein the defect signal producing means comprises a differential amplifier coupled to the defect reference signal and the first vibration signal.

4. A wheel carriage defectdetector for a railroad car moving on support rails comprising in combination:

a plurality of spaced test rails mounted in spaced alignment with one another and with a supporting rail and vibrationally isolated therefrom and from one another;

a separator rail spaced between and in alignment with said test rails;

means sensing vibrations induced in individual test rails by moving railroad wheels and producing electrical signals individually indicative thereof;

a plurality of wheel detectors mounted adjacent the spaces between the rails and producing electrical wheel signals indicative of the presence ofa wheel;

means controlled by the wheel signals and responsive to the vibration signals for producing a plurality of wheel defect signals when said vibration signals exceed predetermined levels, and 7 said spaced test rails and separator rails having preselected lengths. where the total length of said test rails is greater than the maximum common railroad wheel circumferential length and where the separator rail has a length commensurate with that necessary to bring the entire circumference of the common railroad wheel in contact with a test rail.

5. A device as recited in claim 4 wherein said wheel detectors includes a first wheel detector adjacent the spacing between the supporting rails and test rail;

a wheel counter driven by the electrical signal from said first wheel detector for counting the number of wheels. 6. A device as recited in claim 4 wherein the wheel defectproducing means further comprises:

a threshold circuit, driven by the vibration signal;

an AND gate having its input coupled to the vibration signal and the wheel detector signals, said gate being temporarily blocked by the wheel detector signal.

7. A device as recited in claim 5 and further including;

a storage circuit coupled to the output of the gate for storing the detection ofa defect by the threshold circuit.

8. A device as recited in claim 5 wherein the wheel counter produced a car count signal indicative of a preselected number of counted wheels, said preselected number being 5 commensurate with an assumed number of wheels per car.

and; I

a car counter responsive to the car count signal for counting the number of cars.

9. A wheel carriage defect detector for a railroad car movlO ing on support rails comprising in combination:

first and second test rails mounted in spaced alignment with one another and a supporting rail and vibrationally isolated therefrom and from one another; means for sensing the vibrations induced by a railroad wheel traveling on said first test rail and producing a signal indicative thereof; I

means responsive to the sensed vibrations in said first test rail and producing a signal indicative of an average vibration level of the wheel traveling over said test rail;

means sensing the vibrations induced by said railroad wheel traveling on said second test rail and producing a second vibration signal indicative thereof; and

means responsive to said selected vibration signal and the second vibration signal for producing a defect signal when said second vibration signal exceeds said average vibration signal by a predetermined amount. 10. A wheel carriage defect detector for a railroad car movon support rails comprising in combination: lrst an second test ralls mounted in spaced alignment with one another and vibrationally isolated from the supporting rail; 7

means for sensing the vibrations induced by a railroad wheel traveling on said first and second test rails and producing first and second signals representative thereof;

means responsive to the first vibration signal for producing a first wheel defect signal when said first vibration signal exceeds a preselected level; means responsive to the second vibration signal for producing a second wheel defect signal when said second vibration signal exceeds a preselected level and wherein said second wheel defect signal is representative of the same defect represented by said first wheel defect signal; and

means actuated by said first wheel defect signal for producing an alarm signal upon the occurrence of said second wheel defect signal. 

1. A wheel carriage defect detector for a railroad car moving on support rails comprising in combination: a first test rail mounted in spaced alignment with a supporting rail and vibrationally isolated therefrom; means for sensing the vibrations induced by a railroad wheel traveling on said first test rail and producing a first vibration signal indicative thereof; a second test rail mounted in spaced alignment with the first test rail on the side opposite to the direction of movement of the wheel and vibrationally isolated from the first test rail and the supporting rail; means for sensing the vibrations induced by said traveling railroad wheel in said second test rail and producing a signal indicative of the average thereof; and means responsive to said selected vibration signal and the first vibration signal for producing a defect signal when said first vibration signal exceeds said selected vibration signal by a preselected amount.
 2. A device as received in claim 1, wherein said average signal-producing means comprises: an accelerometer mounted on said second test rail; a filter driven by the accelerometer output; and a sampling and hold circuit detecting and storing the filtered accelerometer signal at a predetermined time.
 3. A device as recited in claim 2, and further comprising: means mounted adjacent the spacing between the first test rail and the second test rail for detecting when said railroad wheel is about to travel over said second test rail and producing a wheel signal indicative thereof; said wheel signal actuating the sampling and hold circuit; and a fixed threshold circuit biased by the sampled and stored signal to produce a preselected defect reference signal and wherein the defect signal producing means comprises a differential amplifier coupled to the defect reference signal and the first vibration signal.
 4. A wheel carriage defect deTector for a railroad car moving on support rails comprising in combination: a plurality of spaced test rails mounted in spaced alignment with one another and with a supporting rail and vibrationally isolated therefrom and from one another; a separator rail spaced between and in alignment with said test rails; means sensing vibrations induced in individual test rails by moving railroad wheels and producing electrical signals individually indicative thereof; a plurality of wheel detectors mounted adjacent the spaces between the rails and producing electrical wheel signals indicative of the presence of a wheel; means controlled by the wheel signals and responsive to the vibration signals for producing a plurality of wheel defect signals when said vibration signals exceed predetermined levels, and said spaced test rails and separator rails having preselected lengths, where the total length of said test rails is greater than the maximum common railroad wheel circumferential length and where the separator rail has a length commensurate with that necessary to bring the entire circumference of the common railroad wheel in contact with a test rail.
 5. A device as recited in claim 4 wherein said wheel detectors includes a first wheel detector adjacent the spacing between the supporting rails and test rail; a wheel counter driven by the electrical signal from said first wheel detector for counting the number of wheels.
 6. A device as recited in claim 4 wherein the wheel defect-producing means further comprises: a threshold circuit, driven by the vibration signal; an AND gate having its input coupled to the vibration signal and the wheel detector signals, said gate being temporarily blocked by the wheel detector signal.
 7. A device as recited in claim 5 and further including; a storage circuit coupled to the output of the gate for storing the detection of a defect by the threshold circuit.
 8. A device as recited in claim 5 wherein the wheel counter produced a car count signal indicative of a preselected number of counted wheels, said preselected number being commensurate with an assumed number of wheels per car, and; a car counter responsive to the car count signal for counting the number of cars.
 9. A wheel carriage defect detector for a railroad car moving on support rails comprising in combination: first and second test rails mounted in spaced alignment with one another and a supporting rail and vibrationally isolated therefrom and from one another; means for sensing the vibrations induced by a railroad wheel traveling on said first test rail and producing a signal indicative thereof; means responsive to the sensed vibrations in said first test rail and producing a signal indicative of an average vibration level of the wheel traveling over said test rail; means sensing the vibrations induced by said railroad wheel traveling on said second test rail and producing a second vibration signal indicative thereof; and means responsive to said selected vibration signal and the second vibration signal for producing a defect signal when said second vibration signal exceeds said average vibration signal by a predetermined amount.
 10. A wheel carriage defect detector for a railroad car moving on support rails comprising in combination: first and second test rails mounted in spaced alignment with one another and vibrationally isolated from the supporting rail; means for sensing the vibrations induced by a railroad wheel traveling on said first and second test rails and producing first and second signals representative thereof; means responsive to the first vibration signal for producing a first wheel defect signal when said first vibration signal exceeds a preselected level; means responsive to the second vibration signal for producing a second wheel defect signal when said second vibration signal exceeds a preselected level and wherein said second wheel defect signal is representative of the same defect represented by said first wheel defect signal; and means actuated by said first wheel defect signal for producing an alarm signal upon the occurrence of said second wheel defect signal. 